The Goofiest Baseball Cards of the 1990s
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Goofy? Baseball cards can't be goofy! True, these little snippets of cardboard were once little more than a kid's hobby but that sure changed by the time the 1990s rolled around. These cards were now 100% serious business, part of one's portfolio really. And yet somehow, at least here and there, a little bit of goofiness really did manage to sneak in. Here are some of the best examples.
1991 Studio Steve Lake
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Apart from friends and family it's quite possible that nobody gave even a brief second thought to whatever Steve Lake cards they may have encountered in their frequent pack rips. And then Leaf Studio happened. Wait, hold on. Is that a giant bird on Steve Lake's shoulder? Why, yes. Yes, it is. And his name is Ruffles, in case you were curious!
1992 Donruss Triple Play Roger McDowell
As the back of Roger's card tells collectors, "It's important to have fun at what you do." Case in point, the photo on the front of the card. At first glance, collectors may only notice the Dodger hurler in some sort of conference with umpires. Then the missing details come into view: the toolbelt around Roger's waist and the back pocket stuffed with emery boards. Much like the mullet hairdo Roger rocked on the card, Roger's discussion with the umps truly was business in the front, party in the back!
1994 Topps Stadium Club Orel Hershiser
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Only six years earlier, the Dodgers pitcher was on top of the world. Recapping his magical 1988 season, he won the National League Cy Young Award, the NLCS MVP, and the World Series MVP, tossing an incredible 59 straight scoreless innings along the way. Yet here he is on his 1994 Stadium Club card methodically attempting to bury an unsuspecting Pirates player nearby under a shopping cart's worth of hay, or at least that what's the card appears to show. In truth, the Dodgers brought extra grass with them on the road in case there were dead patches in the turf. (Hat tip to Anthony Castrovince at MLB.com for the top notch research.)
1996 Pinnacle Bob Hamelin
This is a card that should have never been made and for more reasons than one. The obvious reason is it's just plain awful. True one could argue, just maybe, that it's so bad it's good, but at the very least all can agree that it's bad. Really bad. For another, the name card tucked under Bob's chin was simply there to identify Bob to the photographers on hand for picture day. Yes, they were supposed to take the picture, but no, they were not supposed to do anything with it but reference it if they had any question as to which player occupied the next few shots on their roll. Certainly they were not supposed to land it on a baseball card. Right? Hello?
1996 Collector's Choice Rex Hudler
Collector's Choice, as with all cards in the Upper Deck universe, was typically known for its high end player photos, which made its Rex Hudler card extremely on brand. Here is the Angels infielder, cool shades and all, tagging out Walt Weiss of the Oakland A's, and looking uncharacteristically calm as he takes what appears to be a knee to the groin. Ah, but then turn the card over and it almost looks like Hudler is milking a cow. Check that. Hudler is milking a cow!
Jason A. Schwartz is a collectibles expert whose work can be found regularly at SABR Baseball Cards, Hobby News Daily, and 1939Bruins.com. His collection of Hank Aaron baseball cards and memorabilia is currently on exhibit at the Atlanta History Center, and his collectibles-themed artwork is on display at the Honus Wagner Museum and PNC Park.